Why the High Priest Is Not Allowed to Mourn

But the Lord told Moses, Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron
Tell them not to be contaminated by a soul
Of their people, all but their nearest and dearest—
Their mother and father and son and daughter and brother,
Their unmarried sister, for her he can become impure;
But for some notable among his people he won’t become impure, or desecrate himself.
They shan’t leave a bald spot on their heads or shave the tip of their beard
Nor mutilate their flesh when they mourn; they’ll be preserved for their God
And won’t desecrate the name of their God. . . .
For he’s offering the daily bread to your God,
He’ll be sacred to Me because I’m sacred, I’m the Lord who makes you sacred.

Up to this point in the week’s reading of Emor (Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23), we have a pretty harsh view of the job description for a priest. To put it bluntly, you’re not really a normal human, and your human relationships are all subject to the Boss’s vetting. You’re allowed to mourn your mother and father and your immediate family, but not your sister if she’s already married—that means she’s some other man’s concern, not yours. And don’t attend any funerals you don’t have to, because that interferes with the job.

Being a priest was a meal ticket for life, but it also meant being a slave to your job. And that’s just for the garden-variety priests. Wait till you see the requirements for the CEO: